Dispensing cabinet structure



ug- 39, 3947. R. G. .BIRR

DISPENSING CABINET STRUCTURE Filed June 20, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l JC @lH AZZ Aug. w, 1947. R. G. BIRR 2,425,915

DISPENS ING CABINET STRUCTURE Filled June 20,. 1945 2 sheets-sheet 2 l v//Z' I 1:

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f5 I v if A i. f i i ff 1,45' /4 s ii: z a a 2' 30 9 4. Z8 5 Z 5fail/Q76 f6 jzfe 7a 150.20.'v Zelf?" @f/Ma@ Patented Aug. 19, 1947DISPENSING CABINET STRUCTURE Rudolph G. Birr, Lombard, ll., assignor toSteiner Sales Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, a corporation of UtahApplication June 20, 1945, Serial No. 600,621

(Cl. S12-38) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cabinets for dispensing sheetmaterials of various kinds, and provides structures which are cheaper,more easily assembled and disassembled, more efficient in use and morerugged.

In this art there is an increasing and insistent demand for simplicationof structure and for reduction in costs of production of and ofservicing. Towel service is a gift on the part of company management,and therefore it is important to make the original cost of the cabinet,as well as its upkeep cost, as low as possible, and to so construct thedevices that they can be serviced in the least possible time with theleast possible throuble. The new structures of the present inventionrespond to the above demands in high degree.

An object of the invention is to provide a cover which substantiallyentirely encloses an inner cabinet section and which has five wallportions. Another object is to provide a new method and means forassembling and attaching the cover to The invention is shown applied toa type of cabinet known as a continuous cabinet, and in which partitionmeans is provided for separating soiled from clean toweling, includingthe separation of the roll of clean toweling from that portion of soiledtoweling which is moving within the cabinet toward a soiled towel takeuprol1 In preliminarily loading a continuous cabinet it is necessary totake a terminal portion of the toweling in the hand and thrust itupwardly through an opening in the bottom of the cabinet, to a positionto facilitate its connection with the soiled towel takeup roll, whichroll rests by gravity on a soiled towel takeup drive roll.

Another object is therefore to provide a partition and soiled towelsmoothing element movable to provide space for facilitating upwardintroduction of the toweling for connection with the soiled towel roll,and movable to and adapted to vbe held at another position to preventintroduction of the hand after the cabinet has been serviced and thecover locked. It is an object to provide very simple and eicient meansfor positively holding the partition in its smoothing position after thecabinet is serviced and ready 'for use.

Another object is to provide for increased bottom area of the bottom ofan inner section, forwardly of the smoothing and partitioning means,sufficient for the 4adequate support of the clean towel roll, while thecover of the cabinet is open, and while the partition is positioned topermit upward introduction of the hand behind it.

Heretofore more complicated and more expensive structures have been usedfor positively holding the partition and smoothing element in smoothingposition, and for moving the partition forwardly to make space for theupward introduction of the hand and the toweling- The preferred form ofthe present invention discloses a new and very simple device, cheap toconstruct and easy to assemble, and not requiring pivotal connections.The above mentioned functions are served by providing an extension for aspace-making and smoothing element which is engageable by a part of thecover other than ther front wall, 'as the cover moves to closedposition, and which part remains engaged while said cover is closed, andpositively holds the partitioning element in its smoothing positiontObjects, features and advantages of the invention will be furtherpointed out in the description of the drawings, and in said drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical section through the cabinet with the cover open;

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with the cover closed;

Fig. 3 is a partial front elevation of the lower part of the cabinetwith the cover open;

Fig. 4is a detail vertical cross-section showing how the bottom of theinner section is attached to the vertical side plates of that section;

Fig.V 5 is a plan 'section similar to Fig. 2 showing a modication inwhich means on the side walls of the cover hold the partition andsmoothing element in smoothing position;

Fig. 6 Vis a side elevation of the cabinet with .its cover closed, butbroken away to show part of the stop mechanism and means for holding thesmoother partition in smoothing position; and

Fig. 7 is a partial front elevation of the lower part of the cabinet,showing the modied structure of Figs. 5 and 6.

In the drawings the numeral I indicates the :back plate of the innersection of a cabinet of the so-called continuous type, and this backplate has openings 2 by which the cabinetl can be hung on fasteningdevices provided on a wall.

The back plate is stiiened by three flanges. There are two outturned,forwardly convergent cover-guiding flanges, one on each oppositevertical edge and indicated at 3. The other flange is an inturnedhorizontal flange 4 at the top edge. The flanges 3 serve the dualpurpose of stiffening the plate I and as inclined planes adapted toguide and slightly spread the rear portions of the sides of the coversection during its closure. The spreading action on the metal sides putsthem under slightly resilient tension and prevents rattle. The top ange4 is overlapped by the inner surface of the top wal1 of the cover whenthe latter is closed.

Rigidly attached as by welding to the back plate, and extendingforwardly as best shown in Fig. 2, are two upright plates 5 and 6 whichsupport all of the dispensing mechanism. Each plate has an inturnedvertical flange 8 at its rear which is connected as by spot-weldingtothe inner face of the back plate I. Each of these upright plates hasat its top a horizontal outturned flange 9 and each has at its frontedge a vertical outturned flange I0. Each one of these plates has itsforward bottom edge curved as at I2, and the bottom of the cover iscorrespondingly curved to conform to said curved portions.

The bottom of the vCabinet is in part formed by a plate indicated at I5and this plate is secured to the inner section and extends forwardly toa point about half way between the lfront and the back of the cabinet.The inner section is constituted by the 'back plate I, side plates 5 and6, and bottom plate I5. It is a feature of this invention that thebottom of the cabinet is formed by hinging a bottom of the cover to abottom of the inner section. This bottom-forming plate I5 is easilyattachable and detachable. It is held by means of two angle irons, eachof the irons having one flange I 6 welded to the top surface of thebottom plate. The other flange I1 is detachably secured by suitablescrews I8 to the outer sides of the Vupright plates :5 and 6. This is avery simple form of connection and permits the bottom I5 with the cover`hinged thereto, forming a unit, to be easily connected to the innersection. The bottom plate projects laterally beyond the plates 5 and 6as best shown in Fig. 2. The forward edge ofthe bottom plate l5 isrolled to provide tubular hinging elements 20, in this instance four innumber, a pair at each side and near the inner sides of the respectiveplates 5 and 6.

The one-piece cover is generally designated22 and comprises a bottomwall 23, a front wall 24, a top wall 25, and side walls '26. 'The bottomwall 23 extends only about half way from front to back ofl the rcabinetand has its-inner edge rolled to form five tubular hinging elementsVwhich fit between the hinging elements 20 of the bottom plate I5. Thehinging elements of the cover comprise an elongated central elementindicated at 2'I and two pairs of lateral elements indicated at 26 Vandvcorresponding to the two pairs ofrolled elements 20 of the bottomplate. The hinge is so vplaced -that the cover when open can assume abalanced hanging position directly below the inner section, as bestshown in Fig. l.

It is to 'be -noted that the vone-'piece downswing cover is pivoted on astationary bottomforming wall of the inner section instead of abottorn'wall of an outercasing, 'as gis usuallythe case, and that thisbottom-forming wall is removable and forms the support or shelf for theroll of clean toweling. This construction does away with the use oftrunnions and brackets as means for pivoting closure elements for thecabinet, and provides a simple construction adapted to be easilyassembled.

The cover has a horizontal slot 29 in its front wall through which theclean toweling passes, to the outside of the cabinet, and the portion ofthe cover from wall 23 to the slot 29 serves as a loopmeasuring devicewhen servicing the cabinet.

Now referring to Figs. 1 and 2. The bottom .I5 is provided with aforward central extension vindicated at 30. The inner end of thisextension 30overlies the hinge but underlies and is secured to a forwardraised portion 3I of the plate I5. The extension overlies the elongatedcentral tubular part 21 of the cover and is about the same length asthat tubular part. This forward extension is slightly curved upwardly`as shown in Fig. 1 and is adapted to support and prevent forwardrolling of the clean towel supply roll. It will be noted that extensionplate 30 is so positioned that spaces are provided between its lateraledges and the inner faces of the upright plates 5 and '5.A Downwardlyinto these spaces extend arms 32- which are extensions of a partitionelement 33 which acts to separate the clean towel supply roll from thesoiled toweling which is on its way to the soiled towel takeup roll. Thelower ends of these arms 32 are engaged by the inner face of the bottomwall 23 of the cover, when the' cover is closed.

This partition 33 is pivoted to each plate 5, B, as at 34. The plate isprovided with lateral stiening flanges 35. The arms 32 extend forwardlyof the hinge and downwardly into the space between the plate 3!! and theside walls 5 and 6. The lower Vends 33 of these arms 32 are so locatedthat the bottom vwall 23 4will engage them during closure of the coverand will cause them to hold the partition element 33 against movementaway from smoothing position and assuring that its rear smoothing edgelo will remain in proper relationto companion horizontal smoothingelements 4I, i12` suitably secured to the inturned rear flanges of vtheupright plates 5 and 8, as best shown in Fig. 2. These smoothing bars4I, 42 have at points near the plates 5 and 6 pairs of upwardly slantedextensions 45, 6,5, and the partition 33 is cut out at .49 to clear thelower extension 46.

The plate 33 can be swung forwardly by introducingthe hand upwardlythrough an opening 58 in the bottom plate I5. Although during theoperation ofthe cabinet the tendency of the clean towel roll is, duringdispensing, to be rolled rearwardly against the partition element 33 tohold it in `smoothing position, yet this action cannot entirely bedepended on to maintain the proper smoothing .relation of the elements.Moreover, this action alone would not prevent forced introduction of thehand to a level above the smoothing means. Therefore, positive means isprovided to unfailingly` hold the smoothing element in smoothingrelation. Three sides of this opening are formed by the correspondingsides `of the bottom plate, and the fourth side is formed by the backplate I. The Vedges ofthe opening of the plate are flanged as shown inFig. 1.` When the partition 33 is moved forwardly the arms 32 are moveddownwardly at points forwardly of the hinge. This movement occurs duringservicing of ,the cabinet.

In servicing the cabinet the cover is swung downwardly to a positionbelow the cabinet, the clean towel roll is placed on the extension 35,the toweling is passed upwardly over the measuring roll 52, thencearound the usual pinch roll 53, thence downwardly and into the cover,thence rearwardly through the slotted opening 29, to the rear of thecover, thence upwardly through the opening 5i) in the bottom plate l5,then across the smoothing elements lil, 42, and upwardly to the soiledtowel takeup roll 55 which has trunnions received by slots 51 in theplates 5 and 5.

The takeup roll 5t is driven by the soiled towel.

takeup drive roll SB. The rolls 52, 5B, are of equal diameter and aredriven at the same rate by a sprocket chain drive (not shown). The usualpivoted separator plate 62 lies between the soiled toweling on roll 56and the clean toweling on the pinch roll 53.

Although only partly shown in one of the figures, it will be understoodthat the device has a suitable stop mechanism arranged on the outside ofthe plate 5, and it may be of any suitable construction. Since the stopmechanism forms no part of this invention it has not been fullyillustrated. The stop mechanism, in part, illustrated in Fig. 6, is likethat oi my cope-riding application, Serial No. 600,620', led June 20,1945.

So far as I am aware it is entirely new to provide a cover whichentirely encloses an inner section and which has a slot through whichthe toweling can be threaded, and new to have such a cover connected toan inner section so as to be capable of assuming a pendent positionbeneath the inner section and in a manner to utilize the slot as aloop-measuring element and in such manner that after the toweling hasbeen passed through the slot and formed into a loop, the cover can beclosed so that the loop is left at the outside of and depending from thebottom oi the cabinet.

In servicing the cabinet the cover can be opened to assume a horizontalposition, then the forward end of the toweling can be threadeddownwardly through the toweling slot, and then the cover can be broughtupwardly to allow the operators hand to be thrust upwardly through thebottom opening of the cabinet to carry the toweling past the smoothingmeans and position it to be attached to the soiled towel takeup roll.After connection to the takeup roll the cover is lowered to dependentposition and the toweling drawn taut to measure the loop and then thecover is closed. During closing the slot will ride along the toweling inan arcuate path (leaving the loop pendent below the cabinet) to assumethe proper position in relation to the pinch rolls when the cover isfully closed.

The cover is provided with a suitable lockable latch means generallyindicated at 65. The latching elements engage suitable openings SG inthe plates 5 and G. Thus, the cover can be locked in closed position.

In Figs. 5, 6 and l is illustrated modification of the structure forholding the smoothing and space-making element 33 in smoothing position.In other respects the cabinet structure is the same as in the iirstform. In this second form the arms 32 previously described are omitted,and on the iront of the element 33 is arranged a bar 15. This barprojects laterally of the element 33 at both ends as shown at T6, seeFig. 5. These extensions 'I6 pass through openings 11 of the uprightplates 5 and 6 and the sides 18 of the cover are provided with angleirons Sii, one flange of each of which engages a correspondingprojection 16 to positively hold the element 33 in smoothing position.

A suitable stop mechanism is generally indicated by the numeral 8l and alower portion of the stop mechanism indicated at 82 lies just forwardlyof the opening 11, as best shown in Fig. 6. The forward edges or walls83 of the openings 'Il form stops with which the projections 16 engageto limit forward motion of the element 33 when it is moved by hand.Thus, the openings Tl have a double function.

The cover 2| is provided below its slot with an element providing anoutwardly, downwardly inclined surface 85 from which the toweling hangsspaced from. the front of the cabinet as shown. By reference to Fig. 1it will be noted that when the cover is in its lower position and whenmeasuring the loop the toweling will extend from this inclined portionupwardly to the smoothing device. It is seen also by Fig. 1 that afterthe loop is formed the cover can be moved to closed position, leavingthe loop hanging freely below the cabinet.

In both forms of the smoother-holding device, means on the cover isutilized to secure the partition plate 33 at smoothing position and at aDosition to prevent introduction of the hand to a level above thesmoothing means. In one form the single-inner surface of the curvedbottom of the cover engages lever arms of the partition. In the otherform projections on the vertical side walls of the cover engage lateralprojections of the'partition for this purpose. In no Vform are slidesused, nor are there any pivoted control'elements.

An important structure of this invention relates to the structure of thebottom of the inner section and the particular means by which asinglepiece cover is hinged to the bottom. This structure is unique andit has structural advantages, and is simple, cheap, easily made, andeasilyv assembled. I believe myself the rst to provide a sealed bottomfor the cabinet, one-half of which is formed by a fixed part of an innersection and the other half of which is formed by the bottom wall of aswingable single-piece cover to form a total bottom wall for thecabinet. This bottom and hinging structure for the cover has a uniquerelation to a clean and soiled towel separator or partition whichcooperates to smooth soiled toweling, and which is held in its smoothingposition, by means of the cover when said cover is closed. Byhalf-and-half formation of a cabinet bottom, respectively by parts ofthe inner section and outer cover, it is possible to utilize the outeredge of the bottom of the inner section and the inner edge of the bottomof the cover to form a hinge by simple rolling of the metal sheetmaterial oi which they are formed. Y

I believe it entirely new to have the bottom of an inner sectionprovided on its forward edge with tubular hinging members and then tohave the area of that bottom increased by means of a plate whichoverlies and extends forwardly of the tubular hinging members. I believeit also new to pivot a soiled towel smoothing member on an axis whichlies intermediately of tubular hinge-forming members and of an openingthrough which the soiled towel is thrust during servicing. I believe italso new to releasably secure to an inner section, a bottom and coverstructure as a unit, and to have the fastening accessible when the coveris open.

In the new cabinet construction herein the cover has a long verticaldimension and the rear portions of its sides are not cross-connected atthe bottom. Means is provided to guide the free sides of the coverduring its closing motion, and this means acts to steady and reenforcethe rear portions of the cover after closure.

Another` advantage in providing a single-piece cover for the cabinet isthat when it is fully opened all mechanism carried on the outer lateralsides of the upright plates of the inner section is exposed to view andaccessible while the cabinet is hanging on the wall, in other Words, canbe made more accessible without taking the cabinet 01T of the wall.

I believe myself the first (in a towel cabinet of the continuous type)to pivctally attach a bottom wall of a cover, which also has side, frontand top walls, to the bottom wall of an inner section, and the rst toutilize an inner surface of said cover other than its front or topsurfaces to positively hold a portion of a towel-smoothing means insmoothing relation when the cover is closed.

It will be noted that the part 3l is integral with the bottom plate l5and that its bending up as shown in Fig. 1 provides an elongated centralrecess 3 la for the reception of the long tubular part 21 of the cover.The elongated tubular part 21 on the bottom wall of the cover stiffensand reenforces this wall. On the other hand, the elongated extension 3|with the element 30 acts to stiffen the forward edge of bottom plate l5. The pintle is indicated at 28a, and after insertion its ends aresuitably peened over to prevent axial disengagement.

What I claim is:

1. A towel cabinet having a soiled towel takeup roll, means forsmoothing the soiled toweling as it approaches the takeup roll includinga pivoted member which separates the clean towel supply from the soiledtoweling being smoothed and against a part of which the soiled toweldrags, saidmeans being movable toward and away from the soiled towelingand having an extension, and said cabinet having a hinged cover andhaving front, side and bottom walls, and means on a wall of the coverother than its front wall for engaging the extension when the cover isclosed, and adapted to hold said member in smoothing position.

2. A towel cabinet adapted to dispense laundered fabric materialincluding, an inner section having upright plates on which thedispensing mechanism is mounted, means disposed between the plates forsmoothing the soiled toweling, including a part pivoted to said plates,an outer cover section having front, side, and bottom walls, and having1its bottom wall hinged to a bottom wall of the inner section, and meanson said pivoted part Vadapted to ybe engaged by an inner surface of saidcover other than that of its front or top wall to positively hold said`pivoted part in smoothing position.

3. A towel cabinet adapted to dispense laundered fabric materialincluding, an inner section having upright plates on which thedispensing mechanism is mounted, means disposed between the plates forsmoothing the soiled toweling, `including a part pivoted to said plates,an outer cover section having a bottom wall hinged to a bottom wall ofthe inner section, and means on said pivoted part adapted to be engagedby the inner surface of the bottom wall of said cover when the cover isclosed to positively hold said pivoted part in smoothing position.

4. A towel cabinet adapted to dispense laundered fabric materialincluding, an inner section having upright plates on which thedispensing mechanism is mounted, means disposed between the plates forsmoothing the soiled toweling, including a part pivoted to said platesand having projections passing through openings in the plates, and anouter cover section having bottom and side walls, and hinged by itsbottom wall to a bottom wall of the inner section, the side walls ofsaid cover section having means which engage said projections of saidpivoted part when the cover is closed to positively hold said pivotedpart in smoothing position.

5. A device of the class described comprising, a back plate, a pair ofupright plates attached by their rear ends to and extending forwardlyfrom the back plate, a bottom member secured to the upright plates, saidbottom member having on its forward edge two series of tubularhinge-forming elements, a portion of the bottom which liesintermediately of said series of tubular elements being at a level aboveits top surface, an extension secured to the bottom and lying at a levelbetween said intermediate portion and said tubular elements andextending forwardly of said elements, and a cover hinged to said tubularelements of said bottom and adapted to entirely enclose said uprightplates.

6. A device of the class described Comprising, a back plate, a pair 0fupright plates attached by the rear ends to and extending forwardly fromthe back plate, a bottom member and means detachably securing it to theupright plates, said bottom having on its forward edge a series oftubular hinge-forming elements, a central extension secured to andextending forwardly of said tubular elements, a smoothing elementpivoted between said side plates and cooperating with means on the backwall to smooth toweling, said upright plates having openings therein andsaid smoothing element having extensions passing outwardly through saidopenings, and a cover hinged to said tubular members of the bottomadapted to entirely enclose said upright plates and having means on itsside walls adapted to engage said extensions of said smoothing member,to hold the member in smoothing position when the cover is closed.

RUDOLPH G. BIRR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,255,609 Birr Sept. 9, 19412,288,332 Steiner June 30, 1942

